While FSU's spring football sessions lent a good deal of insight into how the team could line up come Sep. 3 against Virginia Tech, the offensive line picture remains hazy.

The offensive line was looked at as the position group with the most room to grow under a new coach and in FSU's new strength and conditioning program.

While the results from the latter have been clear, an array of OL injuries during spring practice prevented OL coach Greg Frey from operating his unit at anything close to the capacity he expects to this fall.

With so many players out with injuries -- and five linemen from the 2017 roster gone -- FSU didn't even have enough healthy linemen to field two teams.

The same linemen was forced to play for both teams in April's spring game.

Still, FSU returns four linemen with notable starting experience and added three more freshmen over the summer to pad out its depth.

The Offensive Linemen

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FSU OL Derrick Kelly(Photo: Wayne McGahee III/Democrat)

Derrick Kelly

Senior - 6-foot-5 - 317 lbs.

Kelly has 19 starts across the last three years at left guard, left tackle and right guard.

He will start somewhere on the line in 2018. It's just a matter of where.

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FSU’s Alec Eberle walks off the field after a James Blackman thrown interception against Louisville during their game at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017.(Photo: Joe Rondone/Democrat )

Alec Eberle

Senior - 6-foot-4 - 295 lbs.

Eberle has started the last 32 games for FSU at center, but battled severe hip injuries in the offseason.

After undergoing surgery two springs ago, he was out of action this spring, but is expected to be ready for fall.

After battling injuries early in his collegiate career, Minshew kept himself healthy for all of 2017, starting all 13 games.

A foot injury forced him to miss nearly all of spring practice, but he underwent an impressive body transformation in offseason conditioning and is a frontrunner to return to his right guard spot when healthy.

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FSU's Corey Martinez, right, works out during the first day of spring practice at the Dunlap Training Facility on the school’s campus Wednesday, March 16, 2016.
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Corey Martinez

Senior - 6-foot-4 - 303 lbs.

Martinez started three games at center in 2015, but has been relegated to relief duty since.

He worked at center in the spring and could be a backup at a number of spots on the line.

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FSU center Baveon Johnson(Photo: Wayne McGahee III/Democrat)

Baveon Johnson

Redshirt sophomore - 6-foot-3 - 310 lbs.

Many projected Johnson to push Eberle for the starting center job last year, but a preseason meniscus injury derailed Johnson's efforts.

Johnson missed spring practice with the injury, but could push for playing time if healthy in the fall.

Neal played on the defensive line in high school, but will switch sides of the ball at FSU.

He was always going to be a long-term project for Frey and will not factor into the conversation for playing time in the near future.

Who starts?

Many of the likely starters are known, but the harder task is identifying which position each will play at.

Eberle at center feels certain, so long as he is healthy.

Minshew will likely return to his spot at right guard.

Kelly could play any number of spots, but either left or right tackle seem most likely.

Dickerson has held down FSU's left guard spot when healthy over his entire career, but could be asked to move elsewhere.

The final spot -- likely the other tackle spot opposite Kelly -- will be experimented with during fall camp. Williams, Arnold or Dickerson are all potential options.

The truth for FSU's OL situation heading into 2018 is that the talent at the position will be only marginally, if any, better.

However, the fact that they will be tasked with less responsibilities, the offensive tempo and that plays should develop quicker could all make the unit look substantially more capable than it has of late.